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The 24-hour news cycle refers to the non-stop, all-day news coverage that has become commonplace in modern media. This concept emerged with the advent of cable television^[2] channels devoted solely to news, a phenomenon that took off with the infamous O.J. Simpson murder trial in the mid-90s. It has since been amplified by the influx of online news sources, creating an environment where news is produced and consumed continuously, around the clock. This relentless pace has sparked critiques from industry experts, like journalists Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, who argue that the pressure to constantly generate news has eroded traditional journalistic values. They contend that the pursuit of audience share and corporate profits has led to a decline in fact verification and quality reporting, resulting in a trend towards sensationalism, entertainment, and opinionated news. This phenomenon is also linked to concepts such as the CNN effect, the Feiler faster thesis, information overload, information pollution, and infotainment^[1].

Terms definitions

1. ↑ infotainment. Infotainment is a blend of information and entertainment, which originated in the 1980s. This term is used to describe a type of media that aims to educate and entertain simultaneously. Infotainment is often characterized by its appealing nature, flashy graphics, and tendency toward sensationalism. It can be found in various forms, such as TV programs, radio shows, and social media content. However, it has been criticized for its lack of substantial informational value and its focus on trivial, celebrity-oriented content. Despite these criticisms, infotainment has considerable influence on news and society, as it can transform serious issues into entertainment for ratings, thus reaching a wider audience. Notable infotainers, such as Oprah Winfrey and Jon Stewart, have blurred the line between journalism and entertainment. Infotainment is continually evolving, especially with the rise of social media platforms that allow users to generate their own news and commentary.

2. ↑ television. Television is a technology that transmits visual and audio images. The term comes from Ancient Greek and Latin, meaning "far sight. First used in 1900 by Constantin Perskyi, it was known as 'telephote' and 'televista' in early proposals. Television evolved from the mechanical scanning of images, with the Nipkow disk, patented in 1884, playing a crucial role. Initially, TV signals were transmitted through terrestrial broadcasting, but now include coaxial cable, optical fiber, satellite systems, and the internet. Television sets have internal electronic circuits, including a tuner for receiving signals. Without a tuner, it's a video monitor. Color broadcasting was introduced in the mid-1960s, and now, there are smart TVs with internet connectivity. Today, 79% of households worldwide own a television, with major manufacturers producing smart TVs.

Glossary

24-hour news cycle (Wikipedia)

The 24-hour news cycle (or 24/7 news cycle) is 24-hour investigation and reporting of news, concomitant with fast-paced lifestyles. The vast news resources available in recent decades have increased competition for audience and advertiser attention, prompting media providers to deliver the latest news in the most compelling manner in order to remain ahead of competitors. Television-, radio-, print-, online- and mobile app news media all have many suppliers that want to be relevant to their audiences and deliver news first.

A complete news cycle consists of the media reporting on some event, followed by the media reporting on public and other reactions to the earlier reports. The advent of 24-hour cable and satellite television news channels and, in more recent times, of news sources on the World Wide Web (including blogs), considerably shortened this process.

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